I dont understand the need for the Jesus Prayer to enter your nous!

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Future_Prodigy

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I understand that the practioner wants to in the end have it aligned with his inner most thoguhts and heart beats… so, it is one wiht him and constantly praying to God. My problem is God is not in time and one prayer from us lasts eternity with him, I don’t understand the need to have your body always unconsciously praying. This seems that it could lead to the problem of people believing they must pray a certain prayer repeatedly in order for it to come true, as if one sincere prayer was not enough.
 
Future_Prodigy said:
I don’t understand the need to have your body always unconsciously praying.
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What did you mean by “uncconsciously praying”? Don’t we all know what we pray for? If not, what is the point of praying?
Future_Prodigy said:
This seems that it could lead to the problem of people believing they must pray a certain prayer repeatedly in order for it to come true, as if one sincere prayer was not enough.
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Also, God does tell us to pray unceasingly. After all, what Jesus did in the dessert for 40 days? Don’t you think He didn’t pray over and over again what He was praying for?

Although, all prayers should be sincere, one prayer is never enough. That is what God wants.

Praying and being consistent with your prayer. See example of the Greek lady who came to Jesus and asked for casting demon out of daughter. Jesus said He didn’t want to throw food for the dogs. However, the lady kept asking by saying “even the dogs eat the food fell on the floor.”

Because of being consistent and asking/praying, Jesus healed the lady’s daughter.

So should we! otherwise, you can spend one mintue of praying and that’s it for your whole life. 😃 Can’t be done this way.

Keep on praying til the day you meet the Lord…well, you still pray when you are in Heaven. That is what all the Saints are doing now.
 
Your quotes and opinion expressed just dont fit with the theology or philosophy of the church! Something we do here in our finite existence has infinite weight in ‘the real of God.’ It is wrong teaching to believe we must pray, say 1000x, for our prayer to be heard! This has never been taught!
 
Future_Prodigy said:
It is wrong teaching to believe we must pray, say 1000x, for our prayer to be heard! This has never been taught!
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Are you talking about repetitive prayer?
You was mentioning “unconsciously praying”. It has nothing to do with repetitive prayer

If it is, there is still nothing wrong with it. As long as what you pray is not in vain.

If you are not still agreed with this. Search the forum on Repetitive prayer, it might help you. This has been discussed so many times.

If you still have problem with it. Try this forum: Apologetics
 
Future_Prodigy said:
Your quotes and opinion expressed just dont fit with the theology or philosophy of the church! Something we do here in our finite existence has infinite weight in ‘the real of God.’ It is wrong teaching to believe we must pray, say 1000x, for our prayer to be heard! This has never been taught!
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No, not that we must repeat our prayers in order to be heard, but persistence in prayer is certainly rewarded. The prime example is Mary at Cana not taking Jesus’ first refusal for his final answer.

And we ARE commanded to pray unceasingly by Paul, and to ‘watch and pray’ by Christ.

The following parable gives, I think, the idea behind such prayers as the Jesus Prayer - the bolding is my own emphasis:

"Luke 18

1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
2 He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men.
3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
**4 ** "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men,
5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’ "
6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says.
7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.”
 
I hear what you are sayig but that is not the theology/philosophy of God. Our finite things last for eternity with Him. This is why in centuries past our one small sin done in the now was seen as being the biggest slap in the face for it lasted for all of eternity. I don’t understand how we can apply one principle to something and not to another. If God is all knowing and loving we should not have to plead with him by asking repeatedly, that is problematic… even if the bible gives stories of people pleading! SO what am i to do, do i go to my family friend, whose child died of cancer at age 12, and say you didnt’ plead God enough. That’s sadistic and not the philosophy I learned of the Church.
 
Future_Prodigy said:
I understand that the practioner wants to in the end have it aligned with his inner most thoguhts and heart beats… so, it is one wiht him and constantly praying to God. My problem is God is not in time and one prayer from us lasts eternity with him, I don’t understand the need to have your body always unconsciously praying. This seems that it could lead to the problem of people believing they must pray a certain prayer repeatedly in order for it to come true, as if one sincere prayer was not enough.
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Do you attend St Elias?

It sounds like you are describing the Prayer of the Heart as applied by Hesychasts.

This is not something for a neophyte to fool around with! Concentrate on your theology 🙂

BTW, welcome to the forum.

Michael
 
Future_Prodigy said:
I understand that the practioner wants to in the end have it aligned with his inner most thoguhts and heart beats… so, it is one wiht him and constantly praying to God. My problem is God is not in time and one prayer from us lasts eternity with him, I don’t understand the need to have your body always unconsciously praying. This seems that it could lead to the problem of people believing they must pray a certain prayer repeatedly in order for it to come true, as if one sincere prayer was not enough.
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Make “living” equal “praying” and this “difficulty” disappears.

Prayers are not only those words you say, or listen to.

Make “breathing” a prayer.

(( Hope I’m not being to “ephemeral” here! ))
 
Maybe I am doing the whole prayer an injustice I am just experiencing a spirtual darkness at the moment and really frustrated with the concept of prayer, repetitive prayer, and the notion of God as being all powerful. If you really care to know what I am talking about I made a thread in another forum more specifically along these lines. I may be megring my thoguths together… if that is the case then I am sorry!
 
In the Bible: Angels in the Heaven days and nights say Holy, Holy, Holy…

In the book of Psalms: “God’s love endures forever” sentence mention so many times.

So, what is wrong there for repeating?
 
Future_Prodigy said:
Maybe I am doing the whole prayer an injustice I am just experiencing a spirtual darkness at the moment and really frustrated with the concept of prayer, repetitive prayer, and the notion of God as being all powerful. If you really care to know what I am talking about I made a thread in another forum more specifically along these lines. I may be megring my thoguths together… if that is the case then I am sorry!
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Remember that prayer is more than just a specific asking for anything - it’s also a simple reaching out for God, like the child who calls for Mummy or Daddy to get them a drink of water, even when they don’t really want a drink, simply because the child wants to speak to and hear from its parents.
 
I understand that notion of prayer and i understand the Roman Catechism definiton… my problem lies in the problem where believers make prayers efficiency based solely on the relationship one has with God and the number of times the prayer is said. THat is problematic. I often see this praying constantly line of reasoning going down that type of path.
 
Prayer is the communication between man and God.
It is not all or only about petition.
Prayer includes:
Praise
Thanksgiving
Surrender
Repentance
Forgiveness
Scripture reflection
Spiritual Warfare
Intercession
Petition
Meditation
Contemplation
Listening

It seems to me you are only talking about petition here.

For petition, yes, God knows what we need, but He still wants us to pray, to ask. “Ask, you will receive.”
Respect is the most important essence of love. God is love; therefore, he respects our free will. He likes us to make clear and specific request so he would not force his gift on us. Also, by making clear petition, when the answer comes, there is no question it is from God. So we may give all the thanks, praise, honor and glory to God.

Persistent petition is good. Why some repeated petitions are not answered? Actually, they were answered. The answer is either ‘No’ or ‘Not yet’. Why is the answer ‘No’? Because God’s will is always higher than ours. His will is the best. That’s why we pray “Thy will be done.” God is sovereign.

The bottom line is no matter how earnest we have prayed for something, it is always God’s will be done. God loves us and cares about every details of our lives. He only gives good things to his children. If you are disappointed about some outcome of your prayer, read Luke 11:12 and Romans 8:28.
 
Look at it this way, praying is a communication with God, only once do you want to communicate? Frequent prayer puts us always mindful of the presence of God.😉
 
#9 Future Prodigy said:
Maybe I am doing the whole prayer an injustice I am just experiencing a spirtual darkness at the moment and really frustrated with the concept of prayer, repetitive prayer, and the notion of God as being all powerful. If you really care to know what I am talking about I made a thread in another forum more specifically along these lines. I may be megring my thoguths together… if that is the case then I am sorry!
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God is all powerful, but does things HIS way, so there is always a reason for the difference between what YOU THINK should be happening and what IS happening (which is HIS way).

That dispenses with “Omnipotence”.

Prayer is simply your active attempt to respond to God’s freely given grace,… period.

If you respond to God’s grace by tending the garden, to supply food for the community, then that is prayer.
 
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